MINIPROJECT
Passive-Optical
Person Detector
responds to changes in ambient lighting
Design by B. Kainka
Ordinary proximity detectors use infrared sensors which respond to the
warmth of the human body. But there’s a simpler way: we can use
ambient lighting and detect changes in illumination.
Any move a person makes causes a change
in the ambient lighting. This circuit uses an
ordinary phototransistor as its ‘eyes’ to
detect these changes. The circuit can detect
even the smallest change in illumination: it
is not even necessary for a shadow to fall
directly on the detector. It is enough if just a
part of the sky is occluded. The sensitivity
22
of the sensor can be set using a
potentiometer.
The circuit will work over a wide
range of ambient lighting conditions.
A control loop with a logarithmic
characteristic ensures that any given
percentage change in light level is
equally well detected, whatever the
ambient level may be. The circuit
will therefore even work in a dark-
ened room. Gradual changes in illu-
mination are ignored, while rapid
changes are greeted with an
acoustic alarm. However, direct sun-
light is not good for the sensitivity of
the circuit: it is better to use indirect
lighting, reflected from other objects
in the environment.
Component selection is not par-
ticularly critical. Any ordinary pho-
totransistor can be used for T1. For
T2, as well as the type BC547B sug-
gested in the parts list, any similar
NPN transistor such as the BC548,
BC549 or BC550 will do fine. The
transistor’s current gain should not
be too small, however, and so it’s
important to check the identifying
letter (‘suffix’) after the part number,
which indicates the gain group. Type
A transistors are not suitable: types
B or C should be used instead.
For the opamp (IC1.A and IC1.B),
other dual opamp devices such as
the TL072 or TL082 can be used.
The LEDs used should be low cur-
rent types, able to operate at their
rated intensity with a current of 2
mA. In comparison, conventional
(generally older) LEDs need consid-
erably more current, being specified
to reach their rated intensity at 10
mA or even 20 mA. It’s not surpris-
Elektor Electronics 2/2003
 MINIPROJECT
8V5 9V
Figure 1. The control circuit around T2
R6 S1 +9V provides automatic compensation for different
10k
intensities of ambient illumination.
T1 R5
C6 C5 8

4k7 IC1
100µ 100µ 4
BP103
16V
1V9
16V ing that low current LEDs have been so
widely successful.
2V2
R1
D1 C4
We should also remark on the buzzer,
10k

which is a DC (or ‘active’) type rated for oper-

10µ
63V ation at 5 V. The output of opamp IC1.B will
IC1 = LM385
0V6 be 1 V or 2 V less that than the battery volt-
age of 9 V, and we also need to take into
5
account the voltage drop of about 2 V across
R2 2 7 LED D2, which is in series with the buzzer
R3 C3 P1 IC1.B
and which lights when the opamp drives the
470k

1V9 1 6
IC1.A 1k BZ1
3
100µ 10k buzzer.
16V
T2
R4 The battery should last for a reasonably
C1 C2 470k 5V DC
D2
long time. Although LED D1 is continuously
1V9
1µ 10µ illuminated, it only draws about 2.5 mA in
16V 16V
0V55 BC547B the quiescent condition. In the alarm condi-
tion, extra current flows through the buzzer
010127 - 11

How does it work?

The circuit uses two operational amplifiers, or opamps, contained
in a single package. The first stage, around IC1.A, forms a control
loop. The further the output voltage rises (above about 0.6 V)
the more transistor T2 conducts. T2 thus forms a variable load
for phototransistor T1. As the illumination increases, more cur-
rent flows through the phototransistor. T2 then also turns more
fully on, keeping the voltage at the output of the opamp more-or-
less constant. In this way the circuit can work over a very wide
range of illumination levels.
The transfer characteristic curve of a transistor is very close to
exponential over a wide range. Each increase in base voltage of
about 20 mV gives rise to a doubling in the collector current.
This is used in reverse in this circuit, where a doubling of the
ambient illumination intensity will lead to a rise of about 20 mV in
the output voltage of IC1.A. If the ambient illumination changes
by only 10%, the output voltage will change by just a couple of
millivolts, essentially independent of the absolute level at which
this relative change occurs.
The second sensor amplifier stage is coupled via a high-pass and a
low-pass filter. In the quiescent state, with constant illumination,
H3
the output voltage of IC1.B will be at about 1.9 V. Changes in the
input voltage will be greatly amplified. Very rapid changes in
intensity will be filtered out by the low-pass filter formed by R3
and C2. This reduces the sensitivity of the circuit to the 100 Hz
flicker from mains-powered lighting. Very slow variations, on the
other hand, are filtered out by the high-pass filter formed by C3
and P1. This ensures that the alarm is not triggered by clouds or
by changes in the level of sunlight over the day. However, in the
middle frequency range, between about 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, the
circuit is very sensitive, and detects the normal rapid movements
of people. The gain, and hence the sensitivity, of the circuit can be
set using P1.
IC1.B operates as an inverting amplifier. This means that a sud-
den fall in light intensity will cause a rise in the output voltage. As
soon as this voltage rises above about 2.5 V, and so more than
0.5 V appears across the buzzer, it will start to sound. Thus a
shadow crossing the sensor will result in a brief tone. At the
same time, current flows through LED D2, which will therefore
light briefly. The first LED (D1) not only shows when the circuit
is operating, but is also used to generate a stable auxiliary voltage
of about 1.9 V.

H2

R2
C4 C5
R5

T2
IC1

R3

D1 D2

C1
C2
R1

0
R4
P1 BZ1
C3
T1 +
R6
C6 S1
1-721010 010127 010127-1
H1

ROTKELE )C( (C) ELEKTOR

H4

Figure 2. The printed circuit board makes constructing the person detector straightforward (board available via The PCB Shop).

2/2003 Elektor Electronics 23

MINIPROJECT
and the other LED, and the total current con-
COMPONENTS LIST
sumption rises to about 10 mA.
Assuming that the circuit board has been Resistors: D2 = LED, red, low-current
correctly populated (and that the battery is R1,R6 = 10kΩ T1 = BP103
connected with the right polarity!), the buzzer R2 = 470kΩ T2 = BC547B
should emit a brief sound and LED D2 should R3 = 1kΩ IC1 = LM358P
briefly light as soon as the circuit is switched R4 = 470kΩ
on by closing S1. D1 should light continuously R5 = 4kΩ7 Miscellaneous:
as long as S1 is closed. If D1 does not light, P1 = 10kΩ preset S1 = switch, on/off, 1 contact
either the diode or the battery is connected BZ1 = 5V DC (active) buzzer
Capacitors: 9V PP3 (6LR22) battery with clip-on
the wrong way around. Or the battery is flat
C1 = 1µF 16V radial lead
— which you can always check with a meter.
C2, C4 = 10µF 16V radial Enclosure with battery compartment,
The sensitivity of the circuit can be C3,C5,C6 = 100µF 16 V radial size 101 x 60 x 26 mm
adjusted using trimmer potentiometer P1.
The further P1 is turned to the right, the more Semiconductors: PCB, available from The PCB Shop,
sensitive the circuit. At high sensitivity even D1 = LED, green, low-current see www.elektor-electronics.co.uk
the flickering of fluorescent tubes (including
so-called ‘energy saving bulbs’), although
invisible to the naked eye, will be amplified
by the circuit. In electrical terms this is like a The DC voltage measurements Readers Services. However, it may
100 Hz AC hum signal and so it is not sur- shown in the diagram were made be obtained as a one-off from The
prising that it interferes with the circuit’s under normal room lighting using a PCB Shop — for more details see the
operation, and in some cases can cause the digital multimeter with a 10 MΩ PCBs & Software page on our web-
buzzer to sound continuously. The sensitivity input impedance. site.
control must be backed off until the circuit no The printed circuit board shown (010127-1)
longer responds to the fluorescent light, but here is unfortunately not available
only to changes in the ambient illumination. ready-made through the Publishers’

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24 Elektor Electronics 2/2003